


not waking up to ash and dust

by somanyopentabs



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-08
Updated: 2013-03-08
Packaged: 2017-12-04 15:50:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/712422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somanyopentabs/pseuds/somanyopentabs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve has been avoiding Bruce, and he needs to know why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	not waking up to ash and dust

Steve Rogers is avoiding him. Bruce is almost sure of it. He’s not sure at all as to why, however, but it’s been happening since their last major battle. Bruce had become the Hulk, and he didn’t remember much of it. 

Could he have done something to Steve that he didn’t remember?

“Did I, um. Is everything okay?” Bruce asks as soon as he can get Steve alone. It happens to be in the locker room after Steve has finished working out.

“Yeah. Sure.” Steve nonchalantly strips out of his white t-shirt that had been sort of clinging to his frame. Bruce’s mouth goes a little dry at the sight of his perfect bare chest.

“Oh. Because, um. I was just wondering...I mean, I’d like to stay on good terms, and if I did anything that I maybe don’t remember...”

Steve sighs and scrubs a towel over his sweat-soaked hair. “Do you remember how you got back to the tower last time you, uh, changed?”

Bruce shakes his head, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. “No. What did I do, Steve? Just tell me, I can handle it.”

Steve seems to flush a little, though it could just be the post-workout effect.

“You didn’t do anything. It’s just...I carried you. In my arms.”

“Oh,” Bruce says softly, relieved. “Is that all?”

“Well, to be honest, I wasn’t sure you’d like me carrying you like that...” Steve says. “Tony made some comments...”

“Tony’s comments don’t bother me. What do you mean, you carried me like what exactly?”

Steve sits down on the locker room bench and sighs again. “He said I was carrying you like a—well, like a damsel in distress.”

Bruce stares for a moment then starts to laugh.

“So you’re not, uh, upset?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Good. I was just trying to get you out of harm’s way, not trying to sacrifice your dignity.”

“I end up nearly naked after the Other Guy shows up. I’m pretty sure that my dignity’s been sacrificed already,” Bruce points out.

“That’s no reason to go against your wishes. If you’d rather I handle the situation differently in the future, I will try.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s nice, actually. Not waking up naked in a pile of rubble.”

Steve flashes his wide, blue eyes at Bruce, and his heart skips a beat. “Good. I’m glad. You know, can I borrow your ear for a moment, Bruce?”

“Of course.” Fully-clothed and awkward, he sits down next to Steve.

“To be perfectly honest, sometimes I feel like I’m just winging this leadership thing. Following my instincts, really. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with you all.”

“Don’t worry, no one knows what to do with me,” Bruce offers. “And the others, well. You are a good leader, Steve. And you care. You care enough not to leave me in the wreckage. So, uh. You’ve got my vote, whenever.”

“Thanks.” Suddenly, Steve puts a big, muscled arm around him and pulls him into a graceless hug. Bruce feels nearly fragile in his embrace as he attempts to return it.

“Hey, anytime you want to talk...” Bruce mumbles, lowering his voice enough so that if Steve thinks his offer to listen is inadvisable, he can just play it off.

“That would be great. You’re really easy to talk to.”

“Well. You’re...” Bruce means to say any number of things, but what he actually says is, “really great.”

“Ah, jeez...” Now Steve is really blushing, and looking away, and Bruce feels like a big dumb idiot.

“Er. What I meant to say—“

Steve kisses him. Full on the mouth, and Bruce can’t even think of whatever it was he meant to say.

“...Was that okay?” Steve asks as he pulls away. 

Bruce is still a little stunned. “Uh, yes? Very okay. More than okay.”

Steve grins. “Good. It seemed like the thing to do. See you around, all right?”

Bruce nods wordlessly, and the captain wanders off in the direction of the showers. Bruce just sits on the bench for a while longer, touching his fingertips to his lips and replaying in his mind the scene that just happened.


End file.
